COMMENTARY: The heart of the current pontificate is understood more in the footnotes than the main text.

Father Raymond J. de Souza

Pope Francis marks the fifth anniversary of his election as pope March 13, and while five years is not yet a long pontificate, it is long enough to begin to consider how it will be remembered.

After five years of covering the Holy Father, I have begun to think of his as the “footnote pontificate.” I don’t mean by that that it will be remembered as only a footnote in history, but, rather, that the action in this pontificate takes place, as it were, in the footnotes rather than the main text.

On the Holy Father’s 80th birthday, I listed in the Register eight reasons to be grateful for his Petrine ministry.

Similarly, here are five ways in which the footnotes have proven more important than the main text.

It still remains, nearing Amoris’ second anniversary, that so much confusion reigns about what Footnote 351 means. To count just the enthusiastic supporters of the apostolic exhortation, there is no complete agreement about what Footnote 351 means for sacramental theology and discipline between the bishops of Buenos Aires and the bishops of Malta, Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington and Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn and Cardinal Rheinhard Marx.

All have said differing things about that footnote. And that is to ignore what has been said by those who are deeply concerned about what it might mean.

Pope Francis himself has expressed frustration that, having written the longest document in the entire history of the papacy, it has been eclipsed by just one of nearly 400 footnotes. But there is much that is puzzling about the footnotes in Amoris Laetitia. Most striking of all is that Veritatis Splendor, the most relevant magisterial teaching, does not merit even a mention.

Under St. John Paul II, there was the famously long Footnote 52 in Dives in Misericordia, which was an exegesis of the term “mercy” in the Old Testament. But that was not where the main action was, and it certainly did not absorb the main attention in attempting to understand the document.

‘Who Am I to Judge?’

The second great “footnote” is comprised of Pope Francis’ most famous words, and his enduring message to the world: “Who am I to judge?” Just as nearly 40 years after his inspiring homily in St. Peter’s Square Oct. 22, 1978, people then not born know that John Paul said, “Be not afraid!” — so it will be 40 years from now with the words of Pope Francis. Were those his words from the loggia of St. Peter’s on the day of his election? Did they form the heart of his inaugural homily as pope? No. They were a footnote, really, coming at the end of a more than hourlong news conference on the return flight from Rio de Janeiro after World Youth Day 2013. Yet there is no other text that so defines the pontificate.

The world knows these words, above all else, even though it remains a stunningly incomplete summary of the Holy Father. Pope Francis was addressing on the plane a very specific circumstance about a particular priest. The Holy Father almost daily delivers judgments, often quite harsh, about many kinds of people. The main text of the pontificate is one of frequent and harsh judgments, whether it be of his colleagues in the Roman Curia, parish priests, arms dealers or the accusers of Bishop Juan Barros in Chile.

Yet it is the “Who am I to judge?” footnote that is the main story.

Sexual Abuse

Early on in the pontificate, Pope Francis set up a special Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, chaired by Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston. Important work has been done there, especially in the training of bishops and the promotion of best practices around the world. Yet it has been the controversies on the side that have come to define how Pope Francis has handled this issue.

The most recent and dramatic example is ongoing: the Bishop Barros case in Chile. The key moments in that affair have been the off-the-cuff remarks that the Holy Father has made in St. Peter’s Square and to journalists covering his trip to Chile.

Whereas Pope Benedict XVI’s record on sexual abuse is measured mostly by the legal reforms he made, both as cardinal and as pope, Pope Francis will be judged on the footnotes — his passing remarks rather than reforms he has made.

The Unofficial Spokesmen

The Holy Father has a top-notch papal spokesman, Greg Burke, who happens to be someone I admire professionally and count as a friend personally. But, often, you would not know that there is an official press officer.

Pope Francis allows all sorts of secondary officials to interpret his pontificate for him, rather than his official collaborators.

Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, the editor of La Civiltà Cattolica, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the president of the pontifical academies, and Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, the rector of the Catholic University of Argentina, are men who normally would be the footnotes to the main text, the heads of Roman dicasteries. For example, under St. John Paul II, authoritative guides to his pontificate were Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger or Cardinal Camillo Ruini, and, of course, his papal spokesman, the late Joaquin Navarro-Valls. And the footnote spokesmen have adopted a qualitatively different style of communication, launching intemperate attacks on all manner of people and making vast numbers of people feel more distant from Pope Francis.

A recent example was the international embarrassment Bishop Sorondo caused the Holy See over his remarks praising China as a positive example of Catholic social doctrine and the serious damage he did to the credibility of the Vatican’s China policy. Father Spadaro, for his part, retweeted a call from a Vatican bureaucrat for EWTN to fire our colleague Raymond Arroyo.

That sort of thing is beneath the dignity of those who present themselves as papal interpreters. And beneath the text is where the footnotes belong, not in the headlines.

It would be hard to imagine anything less controversial than the Papal Foundation, which raises considerable money in honor of the Pope to support worthy projects in poor countries. Yet, last week, a major division in the organization was revealed over millions of dollars it sent, at the behest of Pope Francis, to a Church-owned Italian hospital foundation that remains under the cloud of a massive financial scandal that became public knowledge in 2013.

Leave aside the merits of that case. It is remarkable how often in these past five years relatively minor agencies have caused major problems. The Pontifical Academy of Life is another institution whose valuable work ought not cause division in the Church. But its reform has done so, leading to an entirely new independent academy being formed. And who would have thought that the Knights of Malta, who rather colorfully adorn liturgical ceremonies and do a massive amount of charitable work, would be the subject of a constitutional crisis and an unprecendented papal intervention that raised questions about international sovereignty?

Of course, it should be remembered that Pope Benedict’s butler created one unholy mess with the “Vatileaks” scandal, but it is something more of a pattern since 2013.

It is sometimes possible to understand a text without reference to the footnotes. But the heart of this pontificate is understood more in the footnotes than the main text. They require careful reading.

Let us all pray to our heavenly Mother of the Church and to Saint Joseph,
Terror of demons and Protector of the Church.
I believe that on our knees we will all agree and be agreeable.

Posted by anna lisa on Tuesday, Mar, 6, 2018 11:07 PM (EDT):

It is because of the angry, hardened Catholics that are calcified in their world view that the millennials are sickened. They ask for bread and they are given “tradition-flavored” kool -aid. Good luck with that and the fabulous fifties.

Posted by Janet on Tuesday, Mar, 6, 2018 7:15 PM (EDT):

WOW! Really, Ann Marie? Sneering at the Pope? Hard hearted stubbornness and pride in thinking they personally know what is best? What they all have in common… They either never married/had children, their grown children don’t speak to them, or they are wealthy empty nesters? None of them volunteer to help the poor, using their own hands? “ALLS” and “NONES”—What do YOU SAY???

Posted by anna lisa on Tuesday, Mar, 6, 2018 1:45 PM (EDT):

Yes Janet I do. I live up to what is in it to the best of my ability.

I know so,so many Catholics who sneer at Pope Francis, and I’m frankly tired of their hard hearted stubbornness and pride in thinking they personally know what is best. Do you want to know what they all have in common…?—They either never married/had children, their grown children don’t speak to them, or they are wealthy empty nesters. None of them volunteer to help the poor, using their own hands. They think bellyaching about the Pope is a work of charity. Honestly, it is pathetic because they are obsessed with the dirty souls of their neighbor, while refusing to get their hands dirty. I think Jesus called that whitened something-or-other…

I love the Pope! He, along with Benedict and John Paul are proof that the Spirit of God is at every front in the battle for our souls. Clearly, the most spurned and despised of sinners are his favorites (like always). The proud and haughty—well, not so much!

Posted by Janet on Tuesday, Mar, 6, 2018 8:31 AM (EDT):

I will trust THE LORD, not pope Francis.

Posted by Janet on Tuesday, Mar, 6, 2018 8:12 AM (EDT):

Anna Lisa: Have you ever heard of the Catechism of the Catholic Church?? Do you know what it is? Do you have a copy of it?

Posted by anna lisa on Tuesday, Mar, 6, 2018 1:55 AM (EDT):

Two of my very favorite saints, Catherine of Siena and Josemaria Escriva had a fervent love for the Pope. Catherine had a thing or two to say about the things the Pope did that she didn’t agree with, but she also called the Vicar of Christ her “Sweet Babu” (not sure what to make of that, but it was a term of endearment nevertheless.) St Josemaria had a deep longing to be of help to “Peter” and felt awed when he moved to Rome—moved to be so close to Jesus. He was able to help contribute to Vatican II, and in the “onward and upward” journey of the Church, which always must be open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, lest it grow stagnant and mired in a “closed in” atmosphere.

Despite the tumultuous times they lived in, in both of Saints there is moving devotion.

I am sad to find this article, the comments and lately more, and more in EWTN, a profound disrespect for Our Holy Father, who may be leading us on roads that make us uncomfortable, but challenging us to love in a new way. Love for our neighbor, no matter what his or her sin is, is very Christ like.

Reflect upon what these commenters have been incited to. It is not only sad, but it is dangerous to the souls that indulge in such pompous vainglory.

The Pope believes in the permanence of marriage. The Pope is chaste and calls us to the same. The Pope is frugal and isn’t part of the dizzying amount of corruption and mammon worship that others in the Church have been and are still guilty of.

The people who smear him don’t even stop to try to listen and understand what he is actually staying. They put their fingers in their ears, heckle with their friend groups and bring dishonor to themselves and everyone that has to endure the shame of this besmirching of our mother, and thus Christ himself.

Posted by AJ on Monday, Mar, 5, 2018 2:14 AM (EDT):

Making a mess and sowing confusion has always been considered the kind of work that Satan does. It should not be the work of this Pope or any pope. I pray for Pope Francis every day, but am in the dark as to what our Lord Jesus is doing with His Church. However, I will trust the Lord, not Francis.

Posted by Sam Santucci on Sunday, Mar, 4, 2018 8:01 PM (EDT):

I, too, pray daily for our Holy Father, but some of the things he does and says, as well as those close to him, are very troubling. His encyclical “Amoris Laetetia” has proved to be not a source of unity, but one of division, resulting in Bishops being at odds with one another and their flocks thoroughly confused! You don’t have to be a theologian to understand what Our Lord was saying when he addressed the indissolubility of marriage. Any serious minded Catholic understands it well! I fear our Holy Father is skating on thin ice…

Posted by Christina Etter on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 1:01 PM (EDT):

I pray for Pope Francis regularly. I am 75 yrs and very confused ,and getting more so when I hear the Pope speak. I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s as a teen. We were very consecutive and my life was fulfilled spirititualy . Now only .........

Posted by Morenowthanever on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 10:35 AM (EDT):

It would be difficult to imagine someone with a sinister agenda inflicting more harm on the church than PF. As one theologian has stated, “every heresy in our church’s history has not only reared its ugly head, they have flourished under this Pope”. Obviously PF needs our prayers but please, get a jump start praying for the next Pope who will inherit the chaos this Pope has inflicted on our Church.

Posted by MICHAEL K. on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 8:19 AM (EDT):

But what is the point of any more “careful reading” of either the texts themselves or the footnotes 5 years into this pontificate? It is an exercise in futility. One doesn’t understand anything of what one reads because there is no logic or internal consistency to any of it.

Posted by Don L on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 7:17 AM (EDT):

One does have to focus upon little footnotes in life, the perfect symphony ruined by one inebriated percussion player who badly mistimes the final drumroll, the Olympic skater who ruins a perfect performance with a fall, the tiny leak in the brake line of the family sedan, or imagine the Mona Lisa with a steaming plate of pasta in her hand. The key is that the greatest deceits are buried in the footnotes of life, whether they be in that fast-talking scoundrel in those TV new wonder drug ads or, the small print on that contract handed us by that used car dealer.
I*‘m reminded of that old, but oh so wise children’s story—“For the want of a nail a kingdom was lost”. The kingdom at stake here is eternity.

Posted by Andre on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 6:53 AM (EDT):

Joe I think you meant JPII when you said lacking in mercy and arrogant.

Both JPII and Ben 16 covered up the sex abuse scandal. How quick we forget.

Posted by XYZ on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 5:42 AM (EDT):

No footnotes needed, what Frances really ment to say is what he did say. His refusal to answer the dubia is an answer. By pretending Francis is a good pope, the National Catholic Register loses creditability. History is full of bad popes

Posted by Tom Finnigan on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 5:25 AM (EDT):

Never mind the deliberately ambigious footnotes, it is high time all good and faithful Bishops spoke out and told their flock just to stick to Church Teaching and the real concerns of the laity will dealt with pastorally just as it should be.

Posted by Bill on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 11:35 PM (EDT):

“We ask that charity guide your words.” I see little charity in words that question the Pope’s intent to unite in mercy those who are on the margins. He raises questions, shakes the foundations a bit and calls on us to think as Christ thinks, not as the Pharisee and Sadducee would. Of course, I should add who can know what the Pope thinks, we only read what is printed. But I think he calls, as Christ would, to the lost, the separated and those in need. Is there no forgiveness? We can forgive a person of murder I guess, but not of divorce and remarriage apparently. That seems to be the whole point of the article. Rules are rules.

Posted by Toni on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 8:30 PM (EDT):

Pope Emeritus Benedict had a slightly different take on the pontificate of Pope Francis as recorded in his Last Testament:In His Own Words.

(Peter Seewald) “Now, after the present time in office of Pope Francis – are you content?” ~~
(Pope Emeritus) “Yes. There is a new freshness in the Church, a new joyfulness, a new charisma which speaks to people, and that is certainly something beautiful.”

Posted by Quadratus on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 6:15 PM (EDT):

I think his instruction to the youth to “make a mess”, will be the prime footnote of this papacy for the history books. Few of us knew just how serious he really was.

Dear God in Heaven, please reorder the mess we now have in our Church. Amen.

“First, our era is a “peculiar combination of the greatest perfection of means with the greatest confusion about goals.” Second, in the face of modern atheism—often less a hatred of God than a technology-driven indifference to him—“for a large part of today’s religious thought, the quest for aggiornamento simply means surrendering to the adversary.” And third, much of what styles itself as Christian progressivism, no matter how good its intentions, serves as the instrument of that surrender.”

So let’s add this footnote to the Francis era. It has been Francis’ desire to accommodate 21st century secularism. And to the extent that he has done so, negotiations leading to the unconditional surrender “Who Am I to Judge” Church have gone forward. Pray that some of the harm can be undone by wiser Catholics in the near future.

Posted by Janet on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 4:37 PM (EDT):

Thank you, Father de Souza, for writing this article. It takes courage to write something like this, even though it is the truth. I would comment more but do not want it to seem like I am judging. “The Holy Father almost daily delivers judgments, often quite harsh, about many kinds of people. Will leave that up to Pope Francis.”

Posted by Fr Peter Morello on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 4:13 PM (EDT):

Francis’ Fifth is more Fifth Amendment Rights regarding footnotes. The projected intent of Francis’ papacy is to reform the Church in accord with Vat II. The question causing many to suffer is not exactly contained in the meaning of the footnotes rather his intent. Sandro Magister in his latest report cites the Pontiff’s firm and consistent opposition to abortion and his recent dressing down of diplomats laying the cause for increased abortion among the poor marginalized on a corrupt system of global economics that favors the rich. And he is right to a large extent. Anyone with perspicacity knows the Pontiff’s agenda is to open up the Church to the crisis of modern estraignment. Loosening up restrictions to stem the bleeding which started long before his pontificate. A noble effort if the Church could remain intact as a coherent body of moral and dogmatic doctrine. So far that doesn’t seem so. If we question his intent [example the Dubia and meaning of the footnote] we are very likely to receive silence. Fr Weinandy in a recent address in Australia acknowledges there are exceptional circumstances where it’s reasonably certain a prev marriage was invalid but evidence is unavailable. That has long been addressed by priests as a private matter of conscience. Pope Francis however applies that as a lever for all priests to engage in discernment of possible exceptions based on premises that Weinandy cites will inevitably lead to the cleric making a decision based more on conscience and disposition than reasonable certitude of an exception, which in principle affects all forms of relationships inclusive of homosexual. That is the central consideration for all. Whether a Church founded on a moral way of life necessary for salvation can survive. So far the answer is not related to intent but to results. It’s clear the Church is disappearing as a clear coherent bearer of salvific doctrine.

Posted by Dr. Jeff Koloze on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 3:27 PM (EDT):

I couldn’t resist. Another article in the batch of news sent by today’s EWTN email is titled “Are We Living in The Twilight Zone?” Appropriate, n’est-ce pas?

Posted by Joe on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 2:10 PM (EDT):

This Pope has shown himself to be supremely arrogant and lacking in “mercy” toward his growing number of critics.

He fired the Vatican Bank president who was about to blow the whistle on rampant corruption.

He fired two priests without cause or explanation who worked in the Curia simply for being “conservative.”

He essentially fired Cardinals Burke and Mueller from their positions in the Curia.

He viciously condemned the credible accusers of Bishop Barrios for being complicit in sex abuse; and, he lied about not having any “proof” when Cardinal O’Malley claimed that he hand delivered the accuser’s letter to the Pope himself in 2015.

This is Pope whose arrogance knows no bounds

Posted by Edward on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 1:56 PM (EDT):

Given the 25m financial money laundering game with the hospital…maybe he’ll be pleading the “fifth”.

Posted by Dorothy Brauer on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 1:16 PM (EDT):

Thank you Father de Souza for your article to the National Catholic Register.
You have inspired me to pray more earnestly for Pope Francis and Holy Mother Church.
May our Blessed Mother, Mother of the Church and Saint Joseph, Terror of Demons, and
Protector of the Church hear our fervent prayers.

Posted by Janet on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 12:17 PM (EDT):

Thank you, Father de Souza, for having the courage to write this article. Thank you, NCR, for sharing it. I would like to comment further but do not want it to sound like I am judging. “The Holy Father almost daily delivers judgments, often quite harsh, about many kinds of people”.

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